As his 2nd term starts, Abbott eyes school funding
Governor vows more cash, but not via property tax bills
AUSTIN — Republican Gov. Greg Abbott made a bold pledge at his inauguration Tuesday to better fund the state’s public schools while reining in “skyrocketing property taxes in Texas.”
“The eyes of Texas are upon us,” he said from a stage at the north side of the Capitol before a crowd of several thousand. “We have the opportunity and the obligation to get this right.”
Coming into his second four-year term, Abbott is driving an ambitious agenda and working more closely with lawmakers to get his proposals passed.
“He’s been about as engaged and active as I can recall,” said Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, a member of the tea-party-aligned Texas House Freedom Caucus. “I definitely see an increased engagement heading into this session.”
While seizing the lead on such high-profile issues could pay off for Abbott, he also runs the risk of having to shoulder blame should reforms fail.
“The governor is looking for a big political policy win, and this could be it,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. “If he could succeed on some key issues, it enhances his credibility on other issues. There’s momentum in dealing with a Legislature that he hasn’t developed yet.”
It plays in Abbott’s favor that fellow GOP leaders Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, who presides over the state Senate, and House Speaker Dennis Bonnen say they share the same priorities.
But whether the united front is more than rhetoric remains to be seen.
A House budget blueprint released Monday promises to inject an additional $7 billion into public education, so long as lawmakers can also curb property tax growth. The Senate’s plan would send $3.7 billion to schools for teacher pay
raises and would spend $2.3 billion to reduce the state’s reliance on recapture funding.
For his part, Abbott is pitching to limit what local school districts can raise in property taxes each year, with the state making up the difference.
Early estimates show the state’s cost could reach over $3 billion by 2023. So far, there have been few ideas floated about how to pay for the plan.
On Tuesday, Abbott said the state must pay teachers more, provide a better education to students and make schools safer.
“It is time for Texas to deliver real education reform,” he said.
Abbott, Patrick and Bonnen said they have been working together toward these goals and meeting at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss them.
It’s a stark contrast from the last session when public battles erupted between Patrick and former House Speaker Joe Straus, RSan Antonio, over contentious social issues.
And Abbott now is working with members more directly, a shift from the past, several lawmakers said.
Behind the scenes, Abbott’s office has been shopping his ideas on school finance and property tax reform to lawmakers, seeking their input, several legislators said.
“His staff is saying, ‘If you have a problem with something, tell us and let’s see if we can work that out,’” said Tom Craddick, RMidland. “They are already way ahead of the curve this session.”
Whether that will translate to success remains to be seen.
Property tax reform is a thorny issue, with lawmakers often reluctant to vote for changes that will rob their local school districts of money.
Abbott acknowledged the challenges, but dismissed those who have questioned whether there are enough resources for both initiatives.
“Some people say we can’t afford property tax reform,” he said. “I say we can’t afford not to reform a system that punishes homeowners, crushes businesses and cripples our schools.”
Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, said the focus on education is a result of the 2018 election and the education community voting in “large numbers.”
Democrats flipped a dozen seats in the Texas House and statewide Republicans, including Patrick, won by much tighter margins than usual against their Democratic challengers. Menéndez said he’s happy to hear agreement on giving teachers a raise.
“I feel like I am watching a movie,” he said. “I am eager to see the end.”